Same Differences
by The Bloody Countess
Summary: He's just a regular mild-mannered farm boy, she's the impulsive army brat forced to live with his family. They couldn't be more incompatible but the chaos in their lives paves the way for a beautiful friendship... and maybe, love?


**AN:** Another attempt at Smallville fic, so please be gentle. All standard disclaimers apply. I don't own the characters or the series or the random song lyrics, quotes or poetry I'll be slipping every now and then in the chapters. The only thing I own is the fic itself. I was toying around with the idea for a while and after watching all the Clois moments in SV, I felt it was about time I caved in to my muses. This is an Alternate Universe, and the first installment of two stories.

**SUMMARY:** Clark Kent is just another regular teenager who loves his life on the farm but dreams of helping the world in any way he possibly can. Lois Lane is the army brat forced to stay over with the Kents and enroll at Smallville High. Life at the Kent farmhouse soon becomes chaotic, but a beautiful friendship grows... There's the pain and hope of young love that Clark suffers through but Lois will always be there to help him through it.

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**CHAPTER ONE: Introduction**

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~ "There is a woman at the beginning of all great things." - Alphonse de Lamartine ~

* * *

Dawn was just beginning to break and once the roosters started crowing, life began again for the Kent family as they were slowly roused from bed. Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent were the first to wake up, with Martha going down to the kitchen to make breakfast - but not before going into their son's room to get him out of bed.

"Rise and shine, Clark Jerome." Martha gently shook her son's shoulder before going over to the window to pull back the curtains. "I'm making blueberry pancakes today."

That sounded really good to Clark's ears and he smiled as the image of his favorite breakfast filtered through his sleep-fogged brain. He sat up slowly, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Thanks, Mom. I'd love that..."

"There's some hot chocolate for you too."

He grinned this time, allowing his mother to ruffle his hair before he stood up to make his bed. "I don't think I could live without you, Mom. Thanks again..."

_Another day for the __Kents__._

Ten minutes after washing his face and changing, he was downstairs with every intention of starting the weekend right.

It was always best to get most of the heavier chores squared away before noon and the hearty breakfast that awaited them always made the waking up worth it. Sitting outside on the porch with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, Clark smiled as he watched the sun rise as the sky slowly changed color behind the trees. Smallville was, if anything, not the kind of place where you would expect the weird or unexplained to happen. The ignorant outsider would probably think it too dull, but the town had a quaint appeal that you couldn't quite find anyplace else. There was always a cup of coffee and some good stories for the weary traveler -- the kind of hospitality you couldn't get anywhere else. For others, it was a wonderful change of scenery. But for Clark Kent, it was simply home.

Stretching his legs, he finished his hot chocolate and went back inside the house long enough to leave the empty mug in the sink before he followed his father out to start their chores.

* * *

It was only over lunch that Clark was told that he would have to relinquish rights to his room the next day. He hadn't really thought of it much, just calmly processing the information that his father's old friend needed to let his daughter stay at the Kent farmhouse for a few months while he was on tour of duty.

"Wow! He's in the military, Dad?" asked Clark, blinking in surprise. "How did you become friends?"

"Sam Lane and I were friends when he attended Smallville High. He couldn't stay around long enough though, what with his father getting transferred to yet another base," Jonathan replied, shaking his head and smiling wryly. "We used to get into all kinds of trouble. Mostly it was him dragging me into things and me trying to talk him out of it. But that's how the best friendships usually are."

"How is he, though?" Martha asked. "It must be tough for him, with the rank he has plus having two daughters to look after..."

Jonathan chuckled at that. "He's doing fine. From what I've been told, Lois is the more independent one so Sam's more confident in letting her stay with us. And I've been sufficiently warned." He glanced over at his son and grinned.

"Huh? What?" Looking from one parent to the other, Clark frowned in confusion. He really needed to work on deciphering whatever silent communication his parents had going on because now, his mother was smiling.

"I'm certain Lois will fit right in, Jonathan. And Clark might like having a surrogate sister around." Her smile turned into a grin and she squeezed her husband's arm.

_What's with all the secretive grinning?_

Seeing that it would be a lifetime before he ever understood what they were implying, Clark chose to ignore them and focused on his lunch instead.

* * *

The day ended rather quickly and tomorrow came rolling right in. He'd picked out his best shirt and jeans to wear for their guest -- at his mother's insistence. Knowing that they would be in the presence of a three-star General made Clark a little bit nervous and he couldn't sit still long enough before going over to the window and look out at the road. How often did a man with that kind of rank come into town, besides? He had to be sure to watch his manners and not trip up and embarrass his parents.

"Clark? Honey, don't be so nervous. You look handsome." Martha placed a hand on her son's shoulder to steer him away from the window and into the kitchen. "They'll be here right on time. Knowing General Lane's ways, he'll definitely be here when he says he'll be."

"Yeah, but how many three-star Generals do we know of that would knock on our door?" Clark muttered with a grimace. "I know he's Dad's friend, but you have to admit that the title he has is...intimidating."

Smiling at her teenage son, she reached up to ruffle his hair affectionately. No matter how many times anybody fawned over him or said things to inflate his ego, Clark was still naturally shy and soft-spoken, as well as honorable. It was that trait of his that always got him twisted up in knots like this -- with him worrying about what to say so as not to hurt other's feelings, or if he was doing something that overstepped his boundaries. Ben Hubbard had remarked once that there wasn't a single selfish bone in Clark's body and the Kents had definitely raised their son well in that department.

"Don't worry so much about impressing him, Clark. You're more like your father than you realize and that's a good thing. General Lane will see that in you right away."

Fifteen minutes later, a military jeep rolled up to the farmhouse, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. Clark looked out the window, seeing the relaxed form of his father sitting in the front seat, smiling and talking to the stoic man who was decked out in combat fatigues, a cigar stuck between his lips. The way his eyebrows were drawn together and the tension in his jaw made Clark wonder if his father had really been telling the truth about his friend -- until he saw the warmth in General Lane's eyes that was quickly masked when he pulled the jeep to a stop.

Martha opened the door and walked out to the porch, smiling as her husband stepped out of the jeep. "You're right on time, just as you said you would be."

"Wouldn't expect anything else from General Samuel Lane," Jonathan grinned as he patted his friend's shoulder before reaching to take Martha's hand as she walked down the steps to welcome their guests.

"Please, call me Sam." He shook Martha's hand. "I regret that I never got to attend your wedding, being stationed in another country for so long. But it was damn good to know that Jonathan met his soulmate in you."

Clark couldn't help but smile when he overheard that and knew his mother was probably blushing. Even after all the years together, his parents could still act like love-struck teenagers and couldn't exactly hide their happiness when other people acknowledged how perfect they were for each other. He stepped outside hesitantly, blinking when he caught sight of the girl who jumped out of the back of the jeep. Up until now, she'd been temporarily forgotten, but she was quick to make her presence known by calling out to the General.

"While you're weaving this dramatic and touching reunion where you'll probably start talking about the trials and tribulations of your high school years, I'm hoping you remember to introduce your eldest daughter, sir," she said with a laugh, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder as she lifted a large suitcase and a duffel bag from the back.

He tried to hide it, but there was the barest hint of a smile on General Lane's lips as he turned to Jonathan and Martha. "I'd like you to meet Lois Joanne Lane, my sixteen-year-old hellion. Lo, this is Jonathan and Martha Kent, your surrogate parents while I'm on my tour of duty."

She bounded over to them, shaking hands first with Jonathan and then Martha. The smile never left her face even as there was a flush in her cheeks that let them know that she was slightly embarrassed at having to impose on them. "Thanks for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Kent. You're both awesome for letting me have a place to stay."

From the way his mother's eyes glittered, Clark knew that this girl had won her over in just a few seconds. It seemed like Martha Kent's wish for a daughter had come true.

For his part, Jonathan seemed even more amused as he regarded her and then turned to his son. Clark blinked again when he saw his father's grin widen. Just what was going on?

"Clark, come down here and meet General Lane and Lois."

He didn't need to be told twice, the politeness and obedience instilled in him by his parents coming out on its own as he walked over to shake hands with their guests. He tried not to look away as General Lane held his gaze evenly, as if sizing him up for boot camp. Clark had the strangest compulsion to run, but held his ground as he let the man look him over quietly.

"Seems you have a very capable boy here, Jon," he murmured gruffly after a few minutes of scrutiny. "From what I can see of him, he's been nothing but a good son to you and Martha." Then he stretched out his hand to Clark. "Samuel Lane. Good to meet you, son."

"Nice to meet you too, General Lane, sir," Clark replied, secretly thankful he hadn't tripped over his words. The General had one impressive grip too, not one to be daunted by the fact that Clark was taller. This man definitely wasn't the type to be easily intimidated. But when he looked at stormy grey eyes, he had to wonder if he'd imagined that mischievous twinkle in them -- the same one his parents shared when they were talking about Lois.

He barely had time to wonder though, because General Lane had steered him in Lois's direction. Lois, for her part, didn't look particularly impressed at Clark's height and merely smirked at him. "So I'll be taking over your room for an indefinite period of time. I hope you don't have anything embarrassing stashed under your bed," she said.

"Lois Joanne, that's not very nice."

"I was just kidding, Dad! It's not like I'm interested in the inner workings of the average teenage boy's mind!" She looked at Clark then, her hazel eyes flashing as she leaned in. "Hope you had enough time to hide your Smallville porn before we showed up," she whispered loudly, earning a glare from her father and disbelieving splutters from Clark.

"Lois Joanne Lane, you're not making a very good first impression."

All that did was make her laugh as she gave Clark a playful punch before winking at him. Even if she hadn't exactly said it, the way her eyes sparkled, the way her face softened when she smiled...Clark knew that he had his apology and he shrugged good-naturedly, even as he hoped his face wasn't as red now that there were no more jokes.

He discreetly gave her a once-over as she walked back to the jeep to get her luggage; long legs, athletic, wavy hair pulled back in a haphazard ponytail and a confidence in her stride that Clark found a little unsettling. She was the kind of girl who probably didn't care about skinning her knees or bruising her shins. Her grin was too cocksure and the way she hefted her bag over her shoulder was too confident for a girl. In some ways, she behaved like a man and Clark knew right away that she would prefer jeans and scuffed sneakers over sundresses and sandals. She was the kind of girl who thought of danger as her best friend and would proudly wear her misadventures like badges. One look at her and you knew that if trouble were a person, it would be in the shape of a girl named Lois Lane.

Clark gave their house guest a small smile before going over to pick up her larger suitcase, but he had a sneaking suspicion that his life was about to get turned upside-down.

* * *

**- to be continued - **


End file.
